A major tourism draw to the province is Mount Banahaw. The mountain is surrounded by spiritual mysticism with many cults and religious organizations staying on the mountain. Numerous pilgrims visit the mountain especially during Holy Week.

In 1591, the province was created and called Kaliraya or Kalilayan, after the capital town which later became Unisan. In 1749, the capital was transferred to the town of Tayabas, from which the province got its new name.

Depredation and plunder by the Moros were rampant during the Spanish regime, because they opposed the colonizers, especially in their efforts to spread Christianity. The destruction of Kalilayan in 1604 by a big fleet of Moro pirates caused the inhabitants to transfer to Palsabangon (Pagbilao).

The Americans then came and annexed the Philippines. A civil government was established in the province on March 12, 1901, and Lucena was made the provincial capital in 1910.

Japanese occupation of the province during World War II began on December 23, 1941, when the Japanese Imperial Army landed in Atimonan. The occupation witnessed the brutal murders of prominent sons of Tayabas. April 4, 1945 was the day the province was liberated as the combined Filipino and American army forces reached Lucena.

In 1951, the northern part of Quezon was made into the sub-province of Aurora (which included Baler). Aurora was the name of the president's wife, Aurora Quezon. In 1979, Aurora was separated from Quezon as an independent province.

In 2007, Republic Act No. 9495 was proposed to further divide Quezon into Quezon del Norte and Quezon del Sur. Quezon del Norte was to be composed of the first and second congressional districts of the province (Burdeos, General Nakar, Infanta, Jomalig, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Panukulan, Patnanungan, Polillo, Real, Sampaloc, Tayabas, Candelaria, Dolores, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tiaong and Lucena City), with Lucena City as its capital. Quezon del Sur, with its capital at Gumaca, would have been composed of the third and fourth congressional districts (Agdangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Pitogo, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso, Unisan, Alabat, Atimonan, Calauag, Guinayangan, Gumaca, Lopez, Perez, Plaridel, Quezon and Tagkawayan). The act lapsed into law without the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on September 7, 2007.[3]

As required by law, the COMELEC held a plebiscite on December 13, 2008, 60 days after Republic Act No. 9495 took effect. The majority of the votes cast rejected the division, therefore the split did not push through.

In 2004, the Provincial Youth Parliament was established in Lucena City, Quezon Province. The non-profit organization encourages youth to engage in their communities. Governor David C. Suarez has supported the group by attending their meetings, providing them with financial assistance, and displaying that the group's number one goal is to aid the people of Quezon who are in need of help.

Quezon is subdivided into 39 municipalities and one component city named Tayabas City. Lucena City, the capital, is independent from the administrative and fiscal supervision of the province, but is eligible to vote for provincial officials.

Quezon is the country's leading producer of coconut products such as coconut oil and copra. A large part of the province is covered in coconut plantations. Other major crops are rice, corn, banana, and coffee. Fishing is also a large part of the province's economy.

Metro Lucena has an estimated population of 700,000 which is mostly concentrated in the flat south-central portion of Quezon, which includes the cities of Lucena and Tayabas, Sariaya, Candelaria, Lucban & Pagbilao . The people are often characterized as friendly and hardworking. It is the center of commerce and tourism in Quezon Province.